Leeds United 0 Brentford 0 – squeaky bum time. The zing appears to have gone out of the Leeds team in recent weeks, which happened about this time last season. This time, no goals and no wins. When there were doubters, Farke said we would get promoted. Now is the time for Farke to step up and find that win that gets us safe from relegation.
This may be Darlow’s second clean sheet and another point gained towards safety, but the performance on the pitch is nervous and lacking focus. Calvert-Lewin’s missed a penalty last week against Crystal Palace this week. Service to Calvert-Lewin just was not working.
Leeds have been fined half a million for having huddles at the beginning of each half of a match, and nine times. It follows on from a series of recent injustices, including the strangulation of Struijk against Sunderland in a penalty box that everyone except the referee saw. That penalty could have earned us at least a point. Gudmundson’s second yellow at Crystal Palace would not have happened if the referee had been competent enough to know he had one already. A warning would have followed. Johnson for Crystal Palace got a warning instead of a second yellow in the second half. No consistency and the opportunity to win, gone.
A lack of a win, with Sunderland ending our undefeated record under the lights at Elland road, has led to a sense that Brentford had become a must win match. My son thinks a win is necessary to stop us getting entangled in the relegation fight. So a lack of a win is a problem.
The first half was disjointed. Leeds managed just one shot on goal. Àaronson was ineffective in getting the ball forward to DCL. Justin, on the right, is no replacement for Gabby, lacking the pace. And Bogle on the left is also not giving service to DCL.
Leeds tried to cross over the Brentford defence, but were crowded out by the tall Brentford defenders. Brentford attacked the wings, crossing the ball over the Leeds defence, but never troubled Darlow. And our pace on the wings was strangely lacking.
The crowd tried their best to lift the team in the second half for a while, but it was more of the same. Forward passes not finding DCL and Nmecha. Palace were equally inept. Then the referee wasn’t getting his cards out for Brentford fouls despite two Leeds players yellow-carded.
But fans were getting fed up, and the atmosphere dropping. Finally, Farke took off an effective Nmecha and brought on Okafor, plus Tanaka and James (but not Gnonto). James made an immediate impact on the right wing. Leeds, in the last quarter of an hour, should have played this way the whole match: pegging Brentford back and raining in the crosses.
But too little too late and the crowd booed Farke at the final whistle.
Man of the match: No player shone that much. Bijol was important at the back to win that clean sheet.
